Genetics and Breeding of Soybean

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Genotype Evaluation and Breeding".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2020) | Viewed by 23322

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Guest Editor
School of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
Interests: soybean; genetics; breeding; varieties; germplasm
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soybean is grown worldwide for its protein, oil and other useful seed components. Demand of soybean has been increasing dramatically during last 20 years. The genomic data and tools, and genetics of soybean for cultivar development are rapidly improving, especially in developed countries. To increase soybean production in order to fulfil demand worldwide, genetic improvements and development of breeding techniques are necessary. This Special Issue on the “Genetics and Breeding for Better Quality and Yield in Soybean” includes papers on both basic and applied research highlighting all aspects of the genetics, breeding, biotechnology, germplasm enhancement, and any new theories which can improve soybean quality and yield. Welcome manuscripts both reviews and original articles which have impact of following keywords:

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jeong-Dong Lee
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Genetic resources and Germplasm enhancement
  • Modern breeding method
  • Genomics
  • Biotechnology for breeding
  • Biotic and Abiotic stress tolerance
  • Cultivar development
  • Quality breeding
  • Selection theory

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 593 KiB  
Article
Prediction Strategies for Leveraging Information of Associated Traits under Single- and Multi-Trait Approaches in Soybeans
by Reyna Persa, Arthur Bernardeli and Diego Jarquin
Agriculture 2020, 10(8), 308; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture10080308 - 22 Jul 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2159
Abstract
The availability of molecular markers has revolutionized conventional ways to improve genotypes in plant and animal breeding through genome-based predictions. Several models and methods have been developed to leverage the genomic information in the prediction context to allow more efficient ways to screen [...] Read more.
The availability of molecular markers has revolutionized conventional ways to improve genotypes in plant and animal breeding through genome-based predictions. Several models and methods have been developed to leverage the genomic information in the prediction context to allow more efficient ways to screen and select superior genotypes. In plant breeding, usually, grain yield (yield) is the main trait to drive the selection of superior genotypes; however, in many cases, the information of associated traits is also routinely collected and it can potentially be used to enhance the selection. In this research, we considered different prediction strategies to leverage the information of the associated traits ([AT]; full: all traits observed for the same genotype; and partial: some traits observed for the same genotype) under an alternative single-trait model and the multi-trait approach. The alternative single-trait model included the information of the AT for yield prediction via the phenotypic covariances while the multi-trait model jointly analyzed all the traits. The performance of these strategies was assessed using the marker and phenotypic information from the Soybean Nested Association Mapping (SoyNAM) project observed in Nebraska in 2012. The results showed that the alternative single-trait strategy, which combines the marker and the information of the AT, outperforms the multi-trait model by around 12% and the conventional single-trait strategy (baseline) by 25%. When no information on the AT was available for those genotypes in the testing sets, the multi-trait model reduced the baseline results by around 6%. For the cases where genotypes were partially observed (i.e., some traits observed but not others for the same genotype), the multi-trait strategy showed improvements of around 6% for yield and between 2% to 9% for the other traits. Hence, when yield drives the selection of superior genotypes, the single-trait and multi-trait genomic prediction will achieve significant improvements when some genotypes have been fully or partially tested, with the alternative single-trait model delivering the best results. These results provide empirical evidence of the usefulness of the AT for improving the predictive ability of prediction models for breeding applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetics and Breeding of Soybean)
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20 pages, 3389 KiB  
Article
Overexpression of GmRIQ2-like (Glyma.04G174400) Enhances the Tolerance of Strong Light Stress and Reduces Photoinhibition in Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.)
by Jing Deng, Dongmei Li, Huayi Yin, Li Ma, Jiukun Zhang and Binbin Zhang
Agriculture 2020, 10(5), 157; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture10050157 - 07 May 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2684
Abstract
Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is an important crop that serves as a source of edible oil and protein. However, little is known about its molecular mechanism of adaptation to extreme environmental conditions. Based on the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence database and Phytozome, [...] Read more.
Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is an important crop that serves as a source of edible oil and protein. However, little is known about its molecular mechanism of adaptation to extreme environmental conditions. Based on the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence database and Phytozome, a soybean gene that had a highly similar sequence to the reduced induction of the non-photochemical quenching2 (AtRIQ2) gene, GmRIQ2-like (accession NO.: Glyma.04G174400), was identified in this study. The gene structure analysis revealed that GmRIQ2-like encoded a transmembrane protein. Elements of the promoter analysis indicated that GmRIQ2-like participated in the photosynthesis and abiotic stress pathways. The subcellular localization results revealed that the protein encoded by GmRIQ2-like was located in chloroplasts. The quantitative real-time (qRT)-PCR results revealed that GmRIQ2-like-overexpression (OE) and -knock-out (KO) transgenic soybean seedlings were cultivated successfully. The relative chlorophyll (Chl) and zeaxanthin contents and Chl fluorescence kinetic parameters demonstrated that GmRIQ2-like dissipated excess light energy by enhancing the non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and reduced plant photoinhibition. These results suggested that GmRIQ2-like was induced in response to strong light and depressed Chl production involved in soybean stress tolerance. These findings indicate that the transgenic seedlings of GmRIQ2-like could be used to enhance strong light stress tolerance and protect soybean plants from photoinhibition damage. This study will serve as a reference for studying crop photoprotection regulation mechanisms and benefits the research and development of new cultivars. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetics and Breeding of Soybean)
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11 pages, 1097 KiB  
Article
Variability of Phytochemicals by Breeding Year, Usage and Seed Size of Korean Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) Varieties
by Tae-Young Hwang, Byoung-Deok Park, Jwakyung Sung and Hong-Sig Kim
Agriculture 2020, 10(4), 100; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture10040100 - 01 Apr 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2173
Abstract
The interest in phytochemicals from crops has grown in recent years, with soybean, as a functional crop, having great potential for providing a high level of nutrition. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate phytochemicals from Korean soybean varieties, and to [...] Read more.
The interest in phytochemicals from crops has grown in recent years, with soybean, as a functional crop, having great potential for providing a high level of nutrition. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate phytochemicals from Korean soybean varieties, and to provide the basic information necessary for targeted breeding of soybean. The seeds of 172 soybean varieties were collected from various domestic institutes, and their phytochemicals were analyzed and compared based on agronomic characteristics (color, size, usage, etc.) using cluster analysis. We found that the soybean varieties contained relatively higher levels of the following phytochemicals: lutein (3 var., >7.0 μg g−1 seed), tocopherols (26 var., >300 μg g−1 seed), and phytosterols (33 var., >1000 μg g−1 seed). Overall, phytochemical levels were higher in varieties released since 2000 and with small-sized seeds (<12 g, 100-seed weight). The distribution of phytochemicals varied according to the usage (cooking, sauce, sprouts, etc.), even though the highest levels of each phytochemical were mainly observed in sprouts. The cluster analysis using three main components classified the varieties into five groups. Of them, group III showed relatively higher tocopherols, group IV had relatively higher lutein, and group I had relatively higher phytosterols. Jonam and Manpoong (group I) were observed in varieties high in phytochemicals. Overall, some Korean soybean varieties were found to have relatively higher levels of phytochemicals compared to those reported in previous studies of other origins. In conclusion, our findings suggest that some varieties might provide suitable breeding material for target-centered improvement of soybean varieties, and a comparison between different origins is necessary for providing better knowledge for soybean breeding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetics and Breeding of Soybean)
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15 pages, 1272 KiB  
Article
Genetic Diversity Patterns and Discrimination of 172 Korean Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) Varieties Based on SSR Analysis
by Tae-Young Hwang, Byeong Sam Gwak, Jwakyung Sung and Hong-Sig Kim
Agriculture 2020, 10(3), 77; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture10030077 - 13 Mar 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3453
Abstract
The soybean development goal in Korea has changed over time, but the pattern of genetic diversity in modern varieties has not yet been well characterized. In this study, 20 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers are shown to generate a total of 344 alleles, [...] Read more.
The soybean development goal in Korea has changed over time, but the pattern of genetic diversity in modern varieties has not yet been well characterized. In this study, 20 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers are shown to generate a total of 344 alleles, where the number of alleles ranges from 7 to 29, with an average of 17.2 per locus, and the polymorphism informative content (PIC) values range from 0.6799 to 0.9318, with an average of 0.8675. Five different clusters are classified using the unweighted pair group mean arithmetic (UPGMA) method. The genetic distance between clusters I and V (0.3382) is the farthest, and that between clusters III and IV (0.0819) is the closest. The genetic distance between all pairings of groups, according to the time period of their release, is lowest (0.1909) between varieties developed in the 1990s and those from 2000 onward, and highest (0.5731) between varieties developed in the 1980s and those from 2000 onward. Model-based structure analysis revealed the presence of three sub-populations and 17 admixtures in the Korean soybean varieties. All 172 Korean soybean varieties were tested for discrimination using six SSR markers. The numbers of varieties that were clustered in each step are as follows: 7 (4.1%) in step 1 (Sat_076), 73 (42.4%) in step 2 (Sat_417), 69 (40.1%) in step 3 (Sat_043), 13 (7.6%) in step 4 (Satt197), 8 (4.6%) in step 5 (Satt434), and 2 (1.2%) in step 6 (Satt179). These results, based on the analysis of genetic resources, can contribute to the creation of a core collection for soybean conservation and breeding, as well as to the development of future varieties with useful traits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetics and Breeding of Soybean)
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12 pages, 544 KiB  
Article
Environmental Stability of Elevated α-Linolenic Acid Derived from a Wild Soybean in Three Asian Countries
by Hyun Jo, Minsu Kim, Liakat Ali, Rupesh Tayade, Danim Jo, Duc Thao Le, Siviengkhek Phommalth, Bo-Keun Ha, Sungtaeg Kang, Jong Tae Song and Jeong-Dong Lee
Agriculture 2020, 10(3), 70; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture10030070 - 09 Mar 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3798
Abstract
Soybean has been consumed in Asia traditionally as a staple food. Soybean can be a source of essential fatty acids—linoleic (18:2, ω-6) and α-linolenic acid (18:3, ω-3)—for humans. Intake of fatty acids with high ω-3 concentration or low ω-6/ω-3 ratios is more desirable [...] Read more.
Soybean has been consumed in Asia traditionally as a staple food. Soybean can be a source of essential fatty acids—linoleic (18:2, ω-6) and α-linolenic acid (18:3, ω-3)—for humans. Intake of fatty acids with high ω-3 concentration or low ω-6/ω-3 ratios is more desirable for human health. However, in soybean, the unsaturated fatty acids are less stable than the saturated fatty acids in different environments. The objective of the present study is to expand the understanding of the environmental stability of elevated α-linolenic acid of soybean genotypes with alleles from wild soybean grown in three Asian countries. The results highlighted an environmental effect on the accumulation of 18:3, following the growth of soybean genotypes with elevated α-linolenic acid in eight environments. Particularly, temperature influenced the accumulation of 18:3 concentration. The soybean genotype, UT-385-4-4, produced the highest 18:3 concentration and is more stable than all the other soybean genotypes, excluding PT-100-3. UT-385-4-4 is a potential genetic resource to develop novel cultivars with high 18:3 concentration, which could be dietary sources of plant-derived ω-3 fatty acids. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetics and Breeding of Soybean)
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12 pages, 2310 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Seed Viability on the Germination and In Vitro Multiple Shoot Regeneration of Soybean (Glycine max L.)
by Phetole Mangena and Phatlane William Mokwala
Agriculture 2019, 9(2), 35; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agriculture9020035 - 11 Feb 2019
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 8228
Abstract
The moisture status of seeds is usually high during the period of harvest and deterioration (loss of viability) starts to occur when seeds are stored for longer periods. In the present study, soybean seeds were evaluated using a standard germination test, in vitro [...] Read more.
The moisture status of seeds is usually high during the period of harvest and deterioration (loss of viability) starts to occur when seeds are stored for longer periods. In the present study, soybean seeds were evaluated using a standard germination test, in vitro germination, and for efficient multiple shoot induction, following storage under ambient conditions for 0, 3, 6 and 9 months. Results showed that seeds stored for more than 3 months had reduced moisture content and decreased germination percentages in LS677, LS678, Dundee, Peking, TGx1740-2F and TGx1835-10E of the tested genotypes. In particular, seeds stored for 9 months showed significantly poor seed viability and less than 50% overall seed germination (Dundee—42%, LS678—49%, TGx 1740-2F—44%, TGx 1835-10E—48%), except for LS677 and Peking, with 52 and 55%, respectively. The efficiency of multiple shoot induction also decreased with prolonged seed storage, with all genotypes recording an overall decline from about 96% to 40% regeneration efficiency within 9 months. The results obtained clearly indicated that high germination rates and efficient in vitro shoot induction depended largely on seed viability and storage duration, and significantly differed according to genotypes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetics and Breeding of Soybean)
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